Chapter 6

Aria

The first thing I noticed as I opened my eyes was how warm my skin felt. Rather than the scorching heat I had grown used to from the midday sun in the Shadow Moon Pack, I experienced a gentle, comforting warmth, as though the sun were embracing me and saying hello.

I lay there for a time, absorbing it all in, fearing that this brittle tranquility would break if I moved. Gradually, I noticed the sensation of the silky fabric against my flesh.

Looking down, I saw that I was wearing a long, flowing white dress that was too stunning to be anything I had ever possessed.

Confusion clawed at my mind. Where was I?

The last thing I remembered was darkness, an alluring scent, cold hands, and pain. I’d collapsed on the ground, certain that that was where it would end for me. But this…this was different.

I sat up slowly, my fingers brushing against the dress’s delicate lace. Everything felt too perfect, too soft, as if I were in a dream. I looked up, and that's when I saw the meadow.

The meadow opened in front of me, a thick emerald green carpet with bright yellow, orange, and scarlet wildflowers scattered throughout. Vibrant purples that were nearly black, sunny yellows, royal blues, and crimson reds. Every petal appeared to be a little work of art, meticulously sculpted by the gentle touch of nature.

Ancient trees stood tall, gnarled branches reaching skyward like protective sentinels guarding this ethereal sanctuary. Their leaves shimmered and danced as if whispering secrets on the gentle breeze that caressed my skin.

Awestruck, I rose to my feet, drinking in the surroundings. The sky arched overhead in the softest shade of blue, wispy clouds adrift like downy feathers.

Birds flitted between the branches, their iridescent feathers catching the sunlight as they trilled melodies at once hauntingly familiar and wonderfully strange songs that pulled at something deep inside me.

Where was I?

One tentative step forward set the soft grass tickling my bare soles. A thousand questions swirled in my mind, yet none seemed to make sense.

The very air here smelled different, crisp and sweet like lavender mingled with fresh rainfall. I drew it deep into my lungs, and it soothed some part of me that had been restless for far too long.

Am I…dead?

The thought hit me hard, but it made sense, didn’t it? I’d been in such a bad state before...weak, injured, barely alive. Maybe this was heaven. Maybe this was the afterlife.

But if this was heaven, why didn’t it feel complete? Why did I feel like something was missing? I shook my head, pushing the thought aside as I continued to walk through the meadow.

I was uncertain about what led me to this place, but as I explored further, I increasingly felt like I belonged here.

It seemed like the meadow had been anticipating my arrival, patiently keeping its mysteries for when I came.

With every step I took, the vivid blooms appeared to shine more brightly, their fragile petals opening up in a quiet greeting. A soft wind wafted the delightful fragrance of roses and jasmine, saturating the air with their alluring smells.

Small birds sat on the limbs of close by trees, their inquisitive gazes tracking me as if they were aware of something I wasn't. With their small heads tilted to the side, they observed the new presence in their domain.

While I wandered further into the meadow, I caught the soft, musical noise of flowing water. A stream, giggling like a young child at play. My heart began to race, but I couldn't understand the reason.

An unseen energy drew me towards the sound, causing my feet to move on their own, with the skirt of my dress twirling around my legs.

I stopped when I got to the stream.

A woman was standing there near the water's edge.

She had a slim, unnaturally graceful body, encased in a flowing robe that gave off a moonlit glow. Her long, silvery hair fell down her back and gave off a radiance akin to that of the stars.

Her skin was light, nearly otherworldly, and her eyes...her eyes were brighter than snow, shimmering softly as if they could peer into the depths of time. She was a mixture of terror and beauty, exuding strength and elegance that left me breathless.

I gazed at her captivated. I desired to communicate, to inquire about her identity, but the words became stuck in my throat. Before I could speak, she shifted her gaze in my direction, revealing a gentle, tranquil smile on her face.

"Come to me, child," she said, her voice a melody that seemed to echo through the meadow itself.

I found myself obeying without thought, my feet carrying me to her side as if by some ancient calling I didn't question. There was something calming yet familiar about her presence, as though I had known her forever.

Up close, her beauty was staggering, beyond anything mortal. A gentle luminescence pulsed around her form like moonlight on a still night. Though strange and otherworldly, her eyes held a gentle wisdom that promised safety.

“Who are you?” I finally managed to whisper, my voice trembling.

She smiled again, and this time, it was as though the entire meadow responded to her joy. The birds began to sing more loudly, and the flowers all around us appeared to sway in unison as their colors deepened. There was a shimmering vitality in the air that made me feel warm.

Her soothing voice was quiet as she remarked, "I am known by many names; some call me Selene, but my children call me the Moon Goddess."

My throat tightened with each breath. The Moon Goddess.

My legs gave way beneath me and I fell to my knees, bowing my head so low that my forehead brushed the ground.

I was trembling and could hardly speak. "M...my goddess, please pardon me. I don't deserve to be here with you."

There was silence for a very long time. The flowers stilled. The world seemed to hold its breath. Then, her voice, soft as moonlight, powerful as a storm filled the air around me.

"Rise."

I hesitated, my body refusing to obey. But her voice was insistent, calm yet commanding. "Rise, daughter of the moon."

Confusion fluttered in my chest. Daughter of the moon? Raising my head, I could feel my heart pounding. I forced myself up slowly, feeling my legs shake under me.

The moment I raised my head to meet the goddess's gaze, my breath seized in my throat once more. There was no judgment in those celestial eyes. Only warmth…Only love.

"You carry so much burden, little one," the goddess responded with a voice like the wind blowing through the meadow. "You carry more than your heart was meant to bear."

My eyes stung with tears as my throat constricted. I felt the need to talk with the goddess and share all of my suffering, fear, and loneliness. But no words came. My voice was stifled by the weight of all I had been through.

The Moon Goddess reached out, her fingers gentle as they cupped my cheek. "You are not alone, my child," she whispered. "You never have been."

The touch was comforting, yet cool, like the first breath of winter. I trembled, hot tears breaking through the barrier I'd built inside for so long. "I…I don’t understand," I stammered out. "Why me? Why have I been abandoned by everyone? Why…why is my life so difficult?"

The goddess's eyes softened, flowing with infinite compassion. "Difficulties have plagued your way through life, but they were never meant to break you. You are stronger than you know."

I shook my head, sobs racking my body. "I’m not…I'm not strong. I just can't do this anymore. I'm so exhausted."

The Moon Goddess’s hand shifted, her thumb brushing away a tear. "Strength does not mean the absence of fear or pain. It is found in the courage to continue despite them. The light has never left you, though you have journeyed through shadows.

My body trembled, my knees threatening to buckle again. But I stood my ground, something about the goddess's presence filled me with the strength to stand. "I don’t feel strong. I so feel lost."

The Moon Goddess smiled gently. “Even the brightest star may feel lost in the vastness of the sky, yet it continues to shine. You still shine, my daughter."

Her words filled the void in my chest, enveloping me like a warm embrace. Slowly, I nodded, though uncertainty still clung to me like a shadow. "What…what do you want from me?" I asked, my voice small.

The goddess took a step backward and raised her palm to the sky as her smile widened. "I want you to remember who you are."

The moon overhead was shining a silvery, bright light that flowed down onto the meadow like a starry torrent.

I felt weightless for a brief second as it swept over me and enveloped me in its radiance as if my life's burdens had been lifted from my shoulders.

"You are not just an omega or a rogue, you are not just a rejected wolf," the Moon Goddess whispered. "You are the daughter of the moon. You carry my light within you, and no darkness can ever extinguish it."

My breath caught in my throat as the reality of those words sank in. My raging heart slowed, my thoughts cleared, and I felt at ease for the first time in a long time.

"But how do I live with that?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "How do I carry such light in a world so filled with shadows?"

The Moon Goddess smiled softly, stepping closer once again. "You don’t carry it alone, my daughter. I am with you. Always."

With a barely perceptible touch, she traced a crescent moon across my forehead, leaving a tingling feeling in its wake.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I briefly had the impression that everything was spinning.

"Go now, child of the moon," she whispered, her voice resonating in my head as she retreated. “Your journey is not over.”

Before I was able to ask what she meant or even begin to comprehend what was going on, she vanished, and the meadow disappeared into the black, empty emptiness that surrounded me.

Once again, I had been abandoned in a strange place with nothing but darkness surrounding me.